Recent reviews of the literature on distance learning have reached two general conclusions. First, students are about as satisfied with the quality of their education in distance-learning (DL) classes as they are in traditional or face-to-face (FTF) classes. Second, students perform about as well in DL classes as they do in FTF classes. We examine…

Educational literature is overflowing with testimonials, data, and research confirming that collaborative group work, at its best, produces better results (Baer 2003; Johnson and Johnson 1994; McKeachie 2002). Many claim that students enjoy group work and that it leads to both increased learning and enhanced social skills. If this is commonly…

The author had been teaching English at Pierce Community College in Tacoma, Washington, since 1973 when, in the early 1980s, their department was told that current laws demanded their hiring an American Indian to fill a full-time position that had opened. The search committee, she felt, made an excellent decision when they selected Dr. James…

Teachers often view research as complex efforts that involve large data sets, controlled variables, and sophisticated analytic methods well beyond the understanding of those not trained in these methods. This view of research precludes teachers from considering themselves researchers. As numerous theorists have pointed out, while it appears…

Many U.S. students speak nonstandard forms of English, yet dialect issues are slighted in teacher education programs and literacy courses. In this study, classroom teachers who spoke Standard American English (SE) were familiarized with seven syntactic features characterizing African American English (AAE). Three approaches to instruction based on…

This paper reports on preliminary findings from a longitudinal study on the integration of multimedia and the internet technologies into language teaching. Phase I of the study included novice computer users' approaches to multimedia design. Phase II explored the correlations between their attitudes and cognitive styles; and Phase III focused on…

This paper reports on preliminary findings from a longitudinal study on the integration of multimedia and the internet technologies into language teaching. Phase I of the study included novice computer users' approaches to multimedia design. Phase II explored the correlations between their attitudes and cognitive styles; and Phase III focused on…

The effectiveness of the Test of Standard Written English (TSWE) as an aid in placing students into introductory English courses was studied by relating test scores to course outcomes for students entering the University of Houston between the fall of 1977 and the spring of 1981. For students placed into the regular introductory English…

Like many other universities around the globe, the University of Calgary is preparing to offer its graduate programs through distance delivery. The MEd TESL program, a course-based master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language, offered through the Faculty of Education, is piloting the first of its courses by distance. Designing ESL…

Exploratory Practice emphasizes integrating research into pedagogy, and attaches great importance to the quality of life in the classroom. It suggests that we work primarily to understand language classroom life, to bring people together, and to develop students' language competency in a harmonious atmosphere.By putting EP principles into my…

This study examined native English speakers' reactions to nonnative primary stress in English discourse. I measured North American undergraduate students' processing, comprehension, and evaluations of three versions of an international teaching assistant's speech: with primary stress correctly placed, incorrectly placed, or missing entirely.…

In this article, the author argues that, wherever possible, English teachers should not consider English or English education curriculum as an end in itself but rather a "means" to an end--the building of a critical and compassionate community both within and beyond the classroom. Building such a community involves a re-imagining of the teaching…

This article reports the findings of a study examining the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) members' perceptions of what is required to become and to remain a highly-qualified teacher of the English language arts. An online survey was conducted to ten NCTE members: five teachers, and five university-based teacher educators. Findings…

This article describes the results of an inquiry/multigenre project undertaken by students in a literacy foundations course. The project's initial pedagogical goal was to provide pre- and in-service teachers with multiple and engaging opportunities to read and write in areas of their interests. That goal expanded to encompass the critical literacy…

This issue of "NETAC Networks" highlights the following: (1) A snapshot of life in the U.S. Virgin Islands (Karen Brin); (2) Upcoming events by state; (3) Convert television captions to web-streaming formats; (4) I.D.E.A. reauthorized; (5) Vermont Career Day 2004 (Janet Dickinson); (6) Eye on the prize (Jane Jarrow); (7) Promoting…